The National tribune., 1887-08-25
GEN. ], c. BLACK
A ROusing Reception by The Comrades
In Brooklyn, N. Y.


decided his welcome should be fitting one.
/ They chose the stamping ground of the Fight
/ lne Fourteenth a. a proper place, aad the oc-
/ Casion gave evidence OF what Brooklyn h0Spi-
] tality means. From the moment of his en-
trance 10 that OF his exit a continuous ovation
was accorded. Wild scenes OF enthusiasm
marked The evenings proceedings. aud il any
thing was let unsaid, which surely there was
not, the honest OutPouring of feeling made mp
] for 1t. There were music, singing, speech max
ing and cheering without end. Everything
worked 10 perfection, the whole finishing in
burst of vocal melody. There were fully TO-
! GOO persons present at the armory on North
Portland aycnne. The ground floor was re-
served for the various Posts, while the lady
! guests and their escorts occupied the gallery.
The vast armOry was ablaze with light and
color, the entire facing OF the gallery being
! hidden by the flags OF every nation and the
State cOat-ofarm The stanchions were swath-
ed in bunting Of red, white aud blue, aud
/ topped OF with flags and shields stacked. Under
the gallery the same form Of decoration pre-
vailed, the whole mass OF color convergiBg at
the platform erected on the northern side aud
finishing of in a prodigal display Of palms,
ferns and blossoming plants. In the back
ground was portrait of Gen. Black and 10 the
right was life-size portrait Of the old warrior
rs he appeared on the battlefield in 1861. On
the left of he platform was painting of him
]
claim in his right hand, while his left rests in
the breast of has coat, to which is attached a
GAR. badge. The decorations were finished
OF with "A llles size statue OF a member of the
Fighting Fourteenth"
Previous TO the entrance Of Gen. Black. VIII
liam Lloyd Garrison Post, No. 2O7, created
sensation by marching in with a c0lored band,
and preceded by four trumpeters When the
applause had died away, Commde ID. n. Quick,
the Chairman OF the evening, notified all mem
bers OF Posts that Gen. Black was holding a
reception in the officers rooms and would be
glad 30 meet them all A general exodus sue
oeeded That announcement, and then there was
more excitement when Mansfield Post No. 35,
tramped in with 400 men, cscOrting Gen. Abam
Daily, the oldest Grand Army men in the cOun-
try-9l years of age and still hale aud hearty.
Other Posts arrived, and then came the guest Of
the evening under the personal escort of Chair
man DAVID u. Quick, aud preceded by the
Special Committee and followed by city Off
cials. Gen. Black was escorted 20 a central
position on the platform, with Acting Mayor
Iheophilus Olena on his right aud Chairman
Quick on his left. Ranged about him were
scores OF leading citizens and Grand Army men.
Chairman Quick opened the proceedings by
calling upon the vast audience of GAR men
sitting in the body Of the hall TO rise and salute
their guest This done with remarkable pre-
cision and good effect, Conternos Band burst
forth in melody OF welcome. Comrades-in-
Arms " was next sung by the A. G. lila Doable
Quartet, and then came the address of welcome.
Mark ID. Wilber addressed the guest Of the
evening as follows:
Gen. Black on behalf OF the citizens aud veterans
OF Kings County, have been delegated TO extend
10 YOU their welcome and their hospitalities. As
civilians they extend their welcome Ia YOU as an
honored citizen uf our common country. As vet
erslis they come as brave men 10 greet and salute
YOU, brave man, ana TO extend TO you, soldier
ia Kgala alf.s
the " lensioners Friend proud words of desigua-
tion, well worth the life you have lived the battles
you have fought. the scars you bear.
You won distinction on tho field Of battle, where
your blood wEs given for your country cause her
nag and her laws. With the fruits Of this you
might well have been content but when the war
was over your shattered hands raised in behalf OF
your wounded comrades, replaced admiration
with gratitude and endeared you 10 them. This
and BrOudeT distinction.
Welcome, then. TO Brookiyn. Nine hundred
Thousand hearts that beat IA the breasts Of the ct
zenslllp Oi kings County bid you thrice welcome
10 tielr city, aud ours b. no mean city" In
population u u surpassed 10y but two cities la
America and Icy but eight among the races Of men
la exalted citizenship Brooklyn has superior.
and ln scenic grandeur uO equal. CoBsiantInope,
Naples and Dan Francisco grand but Brooklyn
stands peerless and alone in her vista wonders
From Brooklyn flights. hill aud park the eye com
maHds long stretches of rich grandeur aud farms
the wade, VIDE ocean, the hills and mountains OF
sister Siute the palisades Of Americas Rhine, the
gates o the las River, the bay aud harbor Of New
York, on the bosom of which float the flags aud
ships of the NaliOus-a harbor with 800 miles OF
wharfage possibilities suiicent To reach from
Sandy look 10 Lake ETie 10 unite the monu-
menis OF Washington and Bunker Hill. From the
park AT night you watch the fires of every
lighthouse That guides ihe commerce Of the 10
our port, With Liberty the daughter Of two great
Republics, proudly holding her torch above them
aii as she citiightuns the world" A bridge
crowned with wreath oi electric fires burning
above the masted foresis-a street ia mid air-and
within the circuit, tbe homes aud business places
al a IlI. flafsf
and adopted the Federal Constitution. aud destined
before the last veteran of the war IL dead TO APP
llohch IvVoO'uOo oI peopie-mlillons more Than
even dwelt m ono metropolitan district la the his
tory of the world.
Brookyns veterans muster an entire Divis
iot, full ranked without the absence Of officer or
man, men as loyal aud true as ever withstoOd the
shock oi battle. This includes a score Of Generals
who won their stars Ia their couHiry's cause. aud
among thcm, alas how few are lef One of the
brilliant Field Marshals aud Corps lnmnnders
whose men under sherman helped carve their way
IRON Atlanta 10 tle sea and, again, upon the his
torie helo ol Gettysburg, gave 10 the world the
name OF SlOcum. But you, sir, come from the
trained Nesi-irom the lowered fertile State that
gave 10 the Grand Army ils FIRST COMMUNICATIVE
statesman soldier, Logan the State that gave
10 the people the great leader. the great hearted
Lincoln that gave 10 the war the silent soldier,
Grant Lincoln aud Grant, leader and soldier,
men Of war ln the years of war, men OF Christian
loyalty Of charity, Of forgiveness aIlsf peace la
the days of peace. God bless their memories. God
bless your State. God bless our country.
/ We waited your coming, viii regret your
going. The honor you have done us We will re-
member, aud you in return will remember us
| Comrades, salute your guest, Cen John q. Black
Three ringing cheers from thousand throats
sgnaized the finish Of this eloquent outburst
aud a Thousand voices shouted Marching
Through Georgia" 10 the accompaniment of
| the band. Hail TO the Chief" then burst out
in q brazen blare. aud more cheering signalized
the entrance of Gen. Daniel Il. SclIles.
Chairman Quick then delivered a short ad-
dress, introducing Gen. Black. The latter. in
response 10 the hearty welcome rendered him,
sald that his vanity had been sorely tried, and
| continued:
/ ! came into your presence and received vel
come, true, hearty. American, and such ns should
make any man glad. ! feel embarrassed at the
| warmth aud personality that has marked my in
1 PRODUCTION. SO, from now. please forget me as "A
hero of the platform and remember me as only "A
citizen OF the greatest conHiy the sun ever shone
upon. AID the greatest philosopher whom God Al
mighty ever lei speak to his fellow advocated
/ the paying Of pensions. Socrates, ia hs tent at
Athens. spoke 10 the people aud told why the Ma
tone dead aud MANNED should be remembered
1 nlter war. IhOre 10 nothing new under the sun
! and to-day we echo the sentiments 81 the cultured
! Athemian. On July n, lh6l when that great army
/ of the south met. and for days afier. when ON
/ the field danger menaced the Nations defend
I cFs, the American Congress passed the great pcn-
Hion act and decreed that The law should protect
/ those who suffered By war. During tie past four
years S85 900 OJ0 has been distributed by The Cow
ernmeni 90 the afflicted of the Nation in different
| ways. Even in foreign countries veterans 10 The
number Of ,5D are drawing the reward for their
services 10 tins country.
Gen. Black then spoke Of war times and paid
a tribute 10 the zeal Of foreigners who had
iOugh for the Union, and said that as they had
played their part they should be rewarded, no
4 matter where iheV might stray The gpnuhlic